“Order of the Rising Sun” for Wadduwage Don Dulip Chitral Jayawardane
On Sunday (3), the Government of Japan announced that The Order of the Rising Sun has been conferred upon Wadduwage Don Dulip Chitral Jayawardane, former President of JICA Alumni Association and former President of Sasakawa Trust, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to enhancing the Japan-Sri Lanka relationship.
As a founding Member and former President of JICA Alumni Association, Jayawardane played an instrumental role in fostering the strong network among JICA returnees, ensuring the continued dissemination of Japan’s cooperation achievements. Under his leadership, the Association not only strengthened ties among Alumni but also expanded its outreach through events such as the Emperor’s Birthday celebration and the Sri Lanka-Japan Night. These initiatives deepened the Sri Lankan people’s understanding of Japan and facilitated greater interaction between JICA Alumni and the Japanese community in Sri Lanka.
In addition to leading Cultural exchanges, Jayawardane championed Social Welfare projects aimed at uplifting underprivileged communities. His tireless efforts in organising Health Camps, Blood Donation drives, and Scholarship Programmes for disadvantaged children have left a lasting impact on countless lives. Notably, the Blood Donation activities, held at the National Blood Bank, since its establishment by Japanese yen loans, exemplified his commitment to serving the Sri Lankan community.
Jayawardane’s collaboration with the Lions Club enhanced the effectiveness of these activities, garnering national recognition, including consecutive awards from the Ministry of Health on World Blood Donor Day.
During his tenure as the President of Sasakawa Trust, Jayawardane further advanced Japan-Sri Lanka Cultural relations. At Sasakawa Hall, many events such as the ‘Rakugo’ performance by Japanese storyteller and lectures by Sri Lankan experts on Japanese Culture showcased his commitment to propagating Japanese Culture. Amid the economic challenges in Sri Lanka, as a collective joint effort of all the members including Jayawardena, Sasakawa Trust successfully gained full financial support from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for the construction of the new Sasakawa Hall slated to open in 2025, ensuring its continued role as a hub for Cultural exchange between the two nations.
The Embassy of Japan wishes to express its heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Jayawardane on the decoration of the Order, with sincere appreciation for his remarkable dedication to the cause of promoting friendly relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka.
The post “Order of the Rising Sun” for Wadduwage Don Dulip Chitral Jayawardane appeared first on DailyNews.